Pitcher in the mist
by Italia Germania
Summary: Moving to tokyo to start over after thirteen years in his home town, Ryean was a pitcher on a baseball team disbanded by life getting in the way. At his new school, with friends both new and old, can Ryean play matchmaker, diplomat, and be a pitcher too?


**A.N. So here I am again, with a brand new story while my writer's block dies down. It's a sad story with a scarred OC and very interesting anime, emotionally anyways, as the centerpiece. This is my what if? Story.**

It was a Monday, when I first met them, and of course, as with ALL unorthodox groups, it was not on the best of terms. My behavior was border lining on that of an asshole while she was miss high n' mighty and he was clueless at best. But that's how we were back then: Reckless, headstrong, high-strung, and objective. It all ended well in the end of course, but I'm getting ahead of myself here.

My name is Ryean Richards and no it is not spelled wrong: RYEAN (Rye-an). However, everyone just calls me Rye. I am a baseball player; in my spare time of course, not high school level of course. I was at the field a few days before school started for my freshman year, I was practicing my pitching for no particular reason with the song 20% cooler by Ken Ashcorp/Alex S. blaring in the background through my iPod's speakers. I was about to continue until I realized that the baseball I practiced with was completely worn from use, I needed a new one quickly, sighing, I walked by the school and saw a guy jaw-dropped and all but drooling over a girl who was performing the high jump on the school's track field by herself. I walked over to him and gave him on the back of the head and spoke softly, "Hey buddy, It's rude to stare at people unless their celebrities. So knock it off."

The kid just continued to stare, but now at me and in shock. I just kept walking, as it was no concern of mine. The girl just continued to practice, completely oblivious to the kid's and I's conversation. I just continued to walk towards an old sport store in the shopping complex nearby and purchased two things, a new practice baseball for my pitching and set of cleats, since a new shipment came in. I wanted to place in an order for a team uniform, but I no longer have a team. I went down towards to girl's dormitory as it was on the way to the guy's dorm, and decided to look at the balconies. I saw a guy, the same one from earlier, enter a dorm room: a clear gender dorm violation. I reached the main lobby and rang the bell to get someone's attention. The girls' dorm advisor came and said, "Yes? What do you need?"

"You are aware that there is a guy in a girl's room right now, third floor, first room facing that direction on the left." I pointed in the direction I had just come from.

"Oh, that's Yamato Akitsuki. I'm his aunt so he lives in the complex and works here."

"Oh, my apologies ma'am. Good day." I said as I walked out of the room. The stars glowed brightly as I walked home and entered my dorm room, number 303, and fell asleep.

SUZUKA

The Pitcher In The Mist

CHAPTER 1: Hole in the wire fence

I awoke the next morning to a different routine, something new I wished to try, and I decided to run the school's track this morning. I walked silently as the calm breeze blew through my short brown hair. My white skin was almost entirely covered by a long-sleeved red jacket, which I always wore, including being tied around my waist in the summer. I wore a olive grab colored shirt underneath and a pair of gray running pants, which had a zipper around the knee that could be unzipped to turn the pants into shorts. I wore a red ball cap that had no logo, I changed teams so often that I stopped customizing my hats until I found a long-lasting team, which covered a majority of my hair.

I reached the field by first light and proceeded to jog the track at a brisk pace while looking around. That when I saw the two of them at the field's center, setting up the high jump platform for that morning, one was tall and red-haired while the other was not as tall but not short either. The shorter one had blue hair. I had finished my laps and was running for fun at this point so I walked over with the intent of saying hello. However, the blunette was about to perform her jump under the red-haired girl's watch. So, respectfully, I backed off so she could perform uninterrupted. She ran at the jump in a semicircular way as to approach it from the side. The jump went of without a hitch as she soared over the bar without touching it.

Now that her jump had finished, I walked over and simply said, "Morning! Nice jump there miss. I honestly wish I could jump that but I'd fail miserably."

The red-haired one spoke first, "Morning, What are you doing here though? This is the field for the track team."

"There was no sign that said that and no one when I got here this morning, so I'm just warming up anyways before I practice my baseball pitching. Name's Ryean by the way."

"Miki, nice to meet you."

"Likewise, so whose miss high n' mighty over there?"

"Her name's Suzuka, she's somewhat of a perfectionist by nature. She expects continual improvement from herself and her friends in just about all ways. It's just her nature and how she sees the world."

"I see…I knew a person like that long ago, back in the United States. He was here with his father in Japan, I met him and he acted just like that. Well, some guy was completely staring at her like he was a sap in the theory of love at first sight. Complete moron in my opinion. Black hair in a spiky fashion, brown eyes, and some weird lines under his eyes. The dorm lady said his name's Yamato Akitsuki."

"Huh… well…" she was going to continue but I had already walked out of earshot, I had practice to do today, hopefully before the rest of the so-called track team arrived before school today.

I used an alley between the track and the baseball field, which appeared to have not been used in years. The grass was overgrown, the dugouts were all but destroyed, the lines were gone, and the fence was rusting in some areas. I walked around the left side of the field and sighed. How a school could allow a field fall into such a horrendous state was beyond me in every way possible. The dugouts were all locked however. I ended up having to go through the side of the fence via a hole in the wire fencing on the outfield fence near the left side fence.

The school started soon after I had finished my pitching training, I walked to the list of classes to find out where I was to stay for my first year. I ended up in the same class and 'The stalker' Yamato Akitsuki and 'high n' mighty' Suzuka. I was jumping in sarcastic joy as I face palmed at the idea of having to spend an entire year with them. The thought scarred me more than it helped me. I walked to the classroom and took a seat in a desk next to a window and pulled out a notebook that would be used for notes and drawing, which I do in my spare time. Especially when I'm bored. I had just finished sketching the baseball field, which I could see from the window, when a light shadow draped over my notebook, it was Yamato, but I couldn't let him know that I knew his name. That would either boast his ego or portray ME as the stalker, both were not exactly good options for a real first conversation. But, for reasons unknown, I gave the 'Harda** response', "Hey, Your in my light."

He just stepped back and stood there in the corner of my eye as I continued to draw the field. I grew more and more annoyed with his actions, or seemingly IN-action against my response. So, I turned around saying, "Can I help you?"

"Is this seat taken?" he pointed towards the desk behind me.

That at least was a reasonable question to ask, "No, you can sit there if you want. Name's Ryean by the way. Ryean Richards."

"Nice to met you, Yamato Akitsuki."

"Your folks navy?"

"No, why?"

"You're named after two world war 2 warships, that's why."

"Really?"

"Yeah… but I don't have time teacher's inbound."

Just then the teacher arrived. The math teacher was good and all but I just couldn't pay attention for the life of me, so I switched back to drawing, making sure I at least looked like I was paying attention. I continued to draw the field that I was on today, making the clouds gray to give the drawing a little more atmosphere. That took the rest of class to do.

Lunch had finally arrived and I was starving, of course I hadn't had breakfast this morning so I was really hungry. I saw Yamato at lunch at sat next to him; we talked about pointless things until I noticed he kept staring in Suzuka's direction.

"Hey, Yamato what's up with you and Asahina?" His face immediately went tomato red and he start sputtering but quickly regained his composure, "Nothing, what gave you that idea?"

"Moron, it's written all over your face, that and you keep staring at her." He turned to look at her, "See, you did it, albeit subconsciously, again! Are you sure nothing is going on, or is it just a crush?"

"It's nothing, neither." He is blushing blood red by this point in time, and I wanted to see if I could find any materials to clean up the ball field so I left him with one last notice of his behavior, "You just did it again." I got up and left the cafeteria.

The shed with the materials was around the back of the field, but I had to shoulder the door open because the door was stuck and the hinges were all rusted. I had found out that the last baseball to gaze this field was the team of '04, otherwise known as the team that existed almost 14 years ago, as the year is 2017 in August.

I heard a voice behind me, one of a familiar female, "What are you doing here?"

I turned around to see the brown haired (but you'd swear it was red in the sunlight) Miki, "Grabbing the materials for the ball field. If you wish to help grab something, otherwise please move." I said going into HA mode. She looked at me with a raised brow. She appeared to be confused, "How would you get in? The gates are locked."

I signaled for her to follow me to the left field side of the fence surrounding the entire field. I showed her the hole in the wire. She looked shocked that it was there while I sighed that she was shocked, I mean after 14 years of non-attention, how could the place **not** be in disarray. I threw the chalk roller and chalk bags threw first before heading to the shed again to grab the dirt-rake. The shed had no equipment for the grass, but it probably wasn't necessary at the time. At least I could repair the infield. However, the bell had rung signaling the return to class before I could even begin to start the reconstruction. I wiped the sweat from my brow and continued on.

After a 'rousing' two more periods of class, we were allowed to leave for the day. I, of course, ran straight for the field so I could repair the infield for practicing today before I went home.

I had finished raking the infield raking of the dirt, with by the way was as hard as solid rock, at about 3:30 in the afternoon or 1530 military time. I was a huge fan of the latter one. I had chalking to do before I set up for practice, the lights would turn on at night, or at least I hoped they would. The chalking was done soon after and I was set to practice by 1550-1600. The track team was on my right side, completely oblivious that some one was on the field.

I grabbed the hat that I practiced with, the Baseball Supremacy hat, with had: a bat facing down flanked by two baseballs. A silver ring surrounded the baseballs and the bat, the word 'Supremacy' was etched into the bat. I placed the hat on my head and pulled it slightly down. I grabbed my newly purchased baseball and walked to the pitcher's mound in the center of the diamond. On the home base stood a net with a red box signifying the batter's 'box.'

I took my stance, with varied as I pitched both in the traditional overhand style and the 'sidewinder' style as well. Today was sidewinder practice. My accuracy is zilch with the sidewinder though, that's what I practice. I, so far, can place about maybe slightly less than half of my pitches in or darn close to the 'box.' That's on a good day. I pulled my arm back behind my head, but had my arm come in parallel to the ground as I threw the ball. The ball missed the square by a couple inches to the left. I continued to pitch in the same style for a good hour and a half. I was extremely tired after the continued throwing and the sounds of the lights and the target net as the ball struck it repeatedly were the only sounds that echoed in the silent night air. I looked at the track field, the lights were still on (which is surprising as they are automatic), but what did surprise me was the fact that Suzuka, the high and mighty girl from earlier was still practicing. At 1930 hours. She had to have some serious dedication still have energy at this late. I began to walk over towards the gate of track field as she made two more jumps. Same style as the day I first saw her when Yamato was going stalker-ish on her on that Sunday. I realized then what she was doing: Form perfection. She mastered a single form while I become only proficient in two forms.

I reached her, as she was finishing up for the day. She was deflating the landing platform and had already disassembled the pole. I spoke, as I got closer, again not letting them know that I already knew her name, " Hey, miss. Need any help?"

"No, not really." She answered. I just ignored her and grabbed the pole while she gathered the deflated landing platform. I let her go first and we placed the stuff away until we walked out and I asked, "You live in the girl's dorms or off campus?"

"Why, do you ask?" oh, so she was suspicious character at point.

"Well, the girl's dorms are en route to the Boy's dorms, so I was wandering if we were heading in the same direction, nothing more."

"Yeah, I do."

We continued down the same path until we reached about the halfway point until I spoke again, "So, how's dorm life? Not at odds with any neighbors?"

"Actually, my neighbor's crazy, kicked in a sauna door," I winced at that. Sauna doors are expensive! "He also argued with me for three hours while we were on a shopping trip for the dorm lady." I just shook my head.

"This guy sounds like more of an idiot than the guy who was 'stalking' you on that one Sunday practice, Yamato I think his name was."

"Wait, Yamato Akitsuki."

"Yes, that's his name. Akitsuki. Man, I suck with last names."

"How do you know Akitsuki?"

"I sit in front of him in class. So, how long to you practice?"

"About four to five hours." I gave the 'are you serious stare. She laughed and continued, "But it's not enough; you aren't on track so you wouldn't understand."

"Well, I'm using the old field for baseball practice, does that count at all?"

"Yes, no, maybe, absolutely, but not quite."

"I figured as much. The submarine position kills your arm though."

"Submarine position?"

"The sidewinder?" she still looked confused. So I tried another term," Sidearm pitching." She gave no response of understanding me at all.

I sighed as I dragged a hand across my face, "Suzuka, stay here." I walked out about 15 paces and turned towards her, "This is sidewinder." I performed the pitch without a ball in slow motion so she could see the arm come out parallel to the ground not perpendicular to it.

She nodded in understanding. Silence hung comfortably in the air as she walked back to her dorm. I stood as I watched her ascend to her room. I decided to say goodbye, "See you later, Suzuka. Tell Yamato and Miki I said hi!"

She gave a curt wave and entered her room on the third floor. I saw Yamato pop out off his room after Suzuka entered her room and then seem to slink back in. I just turned back to the street and walked off into the distance. I sighed as I continued towards my dorm. I had reached the dorm by about 2000 hours into the deep night. I was out to an hour considered very late. I turned towards the direction of the school and thought, 'with only my backpack, my baseball, and my memories of a team I was proud to be a part of in my head. That and a baseball supremacy hat as my guide as I always do wear it pointing one direction: Onwards into the breach.'


End file.
